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In this paper, we study the inversion of the inner boundary data for Poisson equation in a doubly connected domain by fast Fourier ultraspherical spectral solver. The solver depends on the truncated Fourier series expansion, where the differential equations of the Fourier coefficients are solved by an ultraspherical spectral method. Because this problem is seriously ill‐posed, the Cauchy data with noise will lead to ill‐conditioned linear system. Hence, we apply Tikhonov regularization to solve the obtained linear system and use generalized cross‐validation (GCV) criterion to select regularization parameters. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method are illustrated by several numerical results of different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The impact of selenium (Se) on human thyroid function remains unclear, with inconsistent results from recent epidemiological studies. Moreover, the observed associations are prone to bias due to potential confounding and reverse causation. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis facilitates the large minimization of biases produced by environmental and lifestyle influences, providing unconfounded estimates of causal effects using instrumental variables. We aim to examine the association between Se concentrations and human thyroid function using a two‐sample MR analysis. Design and Methods: Genetic instruments for Se concentrations, including toenail and blood (TAB) and blood Se concentrations, were identified from a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) of blood Se (n = 5477) and toenail Se levels (n = 4162). GWAS summary statistics on thyroid phenotypes were downloaded from the ThyroidOmics consortium, including thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) (n = 54,288), free thyroxin (FT4) (n = 49,269), hypo (n = 53,423), and hyperthyroidism (n = 51,823). The MR study was conducted using the inverse‐variance weighted (IVW) method, supplemented with the weighted median and the mode‐based method. Results: Genetically determined TAB Se was negatively associated with FT4 (β = −.067; 95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.106, −0.028; p = 0.001) using the IVW analyses, as well in the additional analyses using the weighted median and weighted‐mode methods. No evidence in heterogeneity, pleiotropy or outlier single‐nucleotide polymorphisms was detected (all p > 0.05). Suggestive casual association between increased genetically determined TAB Se concentrations and decreased hypothyroidism risk was found by the IVW method (odds ratio [OR] = 0.847; 95% CI = 0.728, 0.985; p = 0.031). The causal effect of TAB Se on FT4 was observed in women (β = −.076; 95% CI = −0.129, −0.024; p = 0.004). However, the influence of genetically determined higher Se concentrations on TSH levels and hyperthyroidism revealed insignificance in the primary and sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: The present MR study indicated that high Se concentration enable the decreasing of FT4 levels, and the effects of Se concentrations on FT4 remain sex‐specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral antiseizure medications are the preferred option for the clinical treatment of epilepsy. Therapeutic drug monitoring has become an important means of achieving individualized treatment of epilepsy. A sensitive, accurate and rapid LC–ESI–MS/MS method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of 15 antiseizure medications in human plasma (carbamazepine, gabapentin, pregabalin, phenytoin, zonisamide, oxcarbazepine, tiagabine, lamotrigine, topiramate, phenobarbital, lacosamide, primidone, 10,11‐Dihydro‐10‐hydroxy carbamazepine, ethosuximide, and levetiracetam). The sample preparation procedure was an one‐step protein precipitation with methanol. Mass detection was performed in ionization polarity switching mode (positive–negative–positive) using multiple reaction monitoring mode. A "boot‐shaped" gradient elution program was applied to separate and concentrate those target analytes, resulting in symmetrical peak shapes within 10 min, without endogenous interference. The method showed great linearity over the concentration ranges with acceptable correlation coefficients (0.9966–0.9996). The precision and accuracy values for intra‐ and inter‐assays were within ±15%. Consequently, the method was successfully implemented on pediatric patients undergoing mono‐ or polytherapy for epilepsy and provided timely concentration results to ordering clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In multiple types of cancer, decreased tumour cell apoptosis during chemotherapy is indicative of decreased chemosensitivity. Forkhead box K2 (FOXK2), which is essential for cell fate, regulates cancer cell apoptosis through several post‐translational modifications. However, FOXK2 acetylation has not been extensively studied. Here, we evaluated the effects of sirtiun 1 (SIRT1) on FOXK2 deacetylation. Our findings demonstrated that SIRT1 inhibition increased FOXK2‐induced chemosensitivity to cisplatin and that K223 in FOXK2 was acetylated. Furthermore, FOXK2 K223 deacetylation reduced chemosensitivity to cisplatin in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, FOXK2 was acetylated by the acetyltransferase cAMP response element binding protein and deacetylated by SIRT1. Furthermore, cisplatin attenuated the interaction between FOXK2 and SIRT1. Cisplatin or SIRT1 inhibition enhanced FOXK2 acetylation, thereby reducing the nuclear distribution of FOXK2. Additionally, FOXK2 K223 acetylation significantly affected the expression of cell cycle–related and apoptosis‐related genes in cisplatin‐stimulated cancer cells, and FOXK2 K223 hyperacetylation promoted mitotic catastrophe, which enhanced chemosensitivity to cisplatin. Overall, our results provided insights into the mechanisms of SIRT1‐mediated FOXK2 deacetylation, which was involved in chemosensitivity to cisplatin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: An efficient and eco‐friendly carbon nitride nanosheet (NM‐g‐C3N4)‐catalyzed decarboxylative coupling reaction of imidazo‐fused heterocycles (i.e., imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines, benzo[d]imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazole) with N‐phenylglycines in dimethyl carbonate (DMC) has been developed. The toxic solvents, external oxidants, and restricted reaction conditions could be effectively avoided in this powerful and sustainable protocol. Remarkably, NM‐g‐C3N4 could be straightforwardly recovered by simple centrifugation and recycled and reused at least 7 times without an obvious decrease in catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: The Na+ /Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) working in either forward or reverse mode participates in maintaining intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+ ]i ) homeostasis, which is essential for determining cell fate. Previously, numerous blockers targeting reverse or forward NCX have been developed and studied in ischaemic tissue injury but barely examined in glioblastoma for the purpose of anti-tumour therapy. We assessed the effect of NCX blockers on glioblastoma growth and whether NCX can become a therapeutic target.Experimental Approach: Patch-clamp recording, Ca2+ imaging, flow cytometry, and Western blot were used to study the effects of specific and non-specific NCX blockers on cultured glioblastoma cells. In vivo bioluminescent imaging was used to measure effects on grafted glioblastoma.Key Results: Selectively blocking the reverse NCX with SEA0400, SN-6, and YM-244769 did not affect tumour cell viability. Blocking the forward NCX with bepridil, CB-DMB, or KB-R7943 elevated [Ca2+ ]i and killed glioblastoma cells. Bepridil and CB-DMB caused Ca2+ -dependent cell cycle arrest together with apoptosis, which were all attenuated by a Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM. Systemic administration of bepridil inhibited growth of brain-grafted glioblastoma. Bepridil did not appear to have a cytotoxic effect on human astrocytes, which have higher functional expression of NCX than glioblastoma cells.Conclusions and Implications: Low expression of the NCX makes glioblastoma cells sensitive to disturbance of [Ca2+ ]i . Interventions designed to block the forward NCX can cause Ca2+ -mediated injury to glioblastoma thus having therapeutic potential. Bepridil could be a lead compound for developing new anti-tumour drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MYB12 promotes flavonol biosynthesis in plants by targeting several early biosynthesis genes (EBGs) of this pathway. The transcriptions of these EBGs are also induced by sucrose signal. However, whether MYB12 is activated by sucrose signal and what the other roles MYB12 has in regulating plant metabolism are poorly understood. In this study, two NtMYB12 genes were cloned from Nicotiana tabacum. Both NtMYB12a and NtMYB12b are involved in regulating flavonoids biosynthesis in tobacco. NtMYB12a is further shown to inhibit the accumulation of fatty acid (FA) in tobacco leaves and seeds. Post‐translational activation and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrate that NtMYB12a directly promotes the transcriptions of NtLOX6, NtLOX5, NtSFAR4 and NtGDSL2, which encode lipoxygenase (LOX) or SFAR enzymes catalyzing the degradation of FA. NtLOX6 and NtLOX5 are shown to prevent the accumulation of FA in the mature seeds and significantly reduced the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in tobacco. Sucrose stimulates the transcription of NtMYB12a, and loss function of NtMYB12a partially suppresses the decrease of FA content in tobacco seedlings caused by sucrose treatment. The regulation of sucrose on the expression of NtLOX6 and NtGDSL2 genes is mediated by NtMYB12a, whereas those of NtLOX5 and NtSFAR4 genes are independent of sucrose. The flavonol‐specific regulator MYB12 affects the accumulation of several other metabolites in various plant species. Multiple regulatory functions of MYB12 and the regulation of its activity need to be further studied. Here, we showed that NtMYB12a inhibits the accumulation of FA in tobacco leaves and seeds via promoting the transcription of NtSFAR4, NtLOX6, NtLOX5, and NtGDSL2 genes. Sucrose stimulates the transcription of NtMYB12a, which acts downstream of sucrose signal to regulate FA metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A deluge of fake news and misinformation about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) on the Internet poses challenges for the public in their search for reliable and relevant health information for taking protective measures, especially among people with chronic diseases (PWCD). This study aimed to (a) understand the satisfaction level of the online information related to COVID‐19 in people with and without chronic diseases; (b) explore information‐searching behavior and digital health literacy in PWCD; and (3) identify the possible predictors of information satisfaction among PWCD. Methods: This was a multicity, cross‐sectional study using an online survey with a convenience sample of people who (a) were 15 years of age or older and (b) had access to the Internet in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau. Findings: Four thousand four hundred and seventy‐two subjects completed the survey, of whom less than 50% felt satisfied with the online information. About 20% of respondents (n = 882) were diagnosed with at least one chronic disease and reported a lower level of information satisfaction (p =.003) than the people without chronic diseases. The majority of the PWCD obtained their online health information from social media. Higher digital health literacy (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 5.07), higher frequency of searches regarding symptoms of COVID‐19 (adjusted OR = 2.07), higher perceived importance of quickly learning from the information searched (adjusted OR = 1.63), and lower frequency of searches on the topic of dealing with psychological stress (adjusted OR = 0.54) were found to be predictors of information satisfaction among PWCD. Conclusions: The majority of PWCD sought online information related to COVID‐19 from social media, and their level of information satisfaction was significantly lower than among people without chronic diseases. Digital health literacy is a strong and significant predictor of information satisfaction. Clinical Relevance: To support PWCD, we not only have to provide them with clear and accurate information, but also promote their digital health literacy so that they may seek, understand, and appraise health information from the Internet to make appropriate health‐related judgments and decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular calcification refers to the pathological deposition of calcium and phosphate minerals into the vasculature. It is prevalent in atherosclerosis, ageing, type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease, thus, increasing morbidity and mortality from these conditions. Vascular calcification shares similar mechanisms with bone mineralization, with smooth muscle cells playing a critical role in both processes. In the last decade, a variety of microRNAs have been identified as key regulators for the differentiation, phenotypic switch, proliferation, apoptosis, cytokine production and matrix deposition in vascular smooth muscle cells during vascular calcification. Therefore, this review mainly discusses the roles of microRNAs in the pathophysiological mechanisms of vascular calcification in smooth muscle cells and describes several interventions against vascular calcification by regulating microRNAs. As the exact mechanisms of calcification remain not fully elucidated, having a better understanding of microRNA involvement in vascular calcification may give impetus to development of novel therapeutics for the control and treatment of vascular calcification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The function of miR‐20a‐5p in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Methods: C57BL/6J mice and PASMCs were used for constructing pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) animal and cell models, respectively. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) was employed to detect miR‐20a‐5p and ATP‐binding cassette subfamily A member 1 (ABCA1) messenger RNA expression. CCK‐8, Transwell, and TUNEL experiments were used to determine PASMCs proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. The relationship between miR‐20a‐5p and ABCA1 was detected by luciferase reporter experiment, Western blot analysis, and qRT‐PCR. Results: miR‐20a‐5p was remarkably elevated in PASMCs of PAH mice and human PASMCs treated by hypoxia, while ABCA1 was remarkably decreased. After transfection of miR‐20a‐5p mimics, PASMCs proliferation and migration were promoted and PASMCs apoptosis was suppressed. ABCA1 was confirmed to be a target of miR‐20a‐5p and restoration of ABCA1 reversed the function of miR‐20a‐5p. Conclusion: miR‐20a‐5p enhances the proliferation and migration of PASMCs to promote the development of PAH via targeting ABCA1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Jiaodong Peninsula in China underwent ultrahigh pressure (UHP) metamorphism in the Triassic and extensive magmatism in the Jurassic–Cretaceous, resulting in the formation of large‐scale gold deposits. This makes it an ideal site to study the destruction of the eastern North China Craton (NCC) as well as regional gold mineralization processes. The Weideshan granitoid suite is widely distributed in the Jiaodong Peninsula, with geochemical and isotopic data indicating that it formed through migmatization of crust‐derived silicic magma and mantle‐derived intermediate magma. This makes it different from the Jurassic Linglong suite, and the Cretaceous Guojialing and Laoshan suites in the Jiaodong Peninsula, although they have evolutionary continuity. U–Pb age estimates, from SHRIMP and LA‐ICP‐MS zircon dating, suggest that the Weideshan granitoid suite formed between 118.0 and 110.5 Ma, around the same time as the Jiaodong gold deposit, suggesting that the ore‐forming event was enabled during the stage of magmatic activity that formed the Weideshan suite, rather than during that which formed the Linglong or Guojialing suites. The initiation of Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous magmatism reflects a regional switch from a collisional system with crustal thickening (compression) between the NCC and Yangtze Craton (YC) to lithospheric thinning (extension) during the subduction of the Pacific Plate. The upwelling of the Weideshan suite and the relevant extension structures that developed during this switching process provided favourable conditions for large‐scale gold mineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The homeostatic link between oxidative stress and autophagy plays an important role in cellular responses to a wide variety of physiological and pathological conditions. However, the regulatory pathway and outcomes remain incompletely understood. Here, we show that reactive oxygen species (ROS) function as signaling molecules that regulate autophagy through ataxia‐telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and cell cycle checkpoint kinase 2 (CHK2), a DNA damage response (DDR) pathway activated during metabolic and hypoxic stress. We report that CHK2 binds to and phosphorylates Beclin 1 at Ser90/Ser93, thereby impairing Beclin 1‐Bcl‐2 autophagy‐regulatory complex formation in a ROS‐dependent fashion. We further demonstrate that CHK2‐mediated autophagy has an unexpected role in reducing ROS levels via the removal of damaged mitochondria, which is required for cell survival under stress conditions. Finally, CHK2−/− mice display aggravated infarct phenotypes and reduced Beclin 1 p‐Ser90/Ser93 in a cerebral stroke model, suggesting an in vivo role of CHK2‐induced autophagy in cell survival. Taken together, these results indicate that the ROS‐ATM‐CHK2‐Beclin 1‐autophagy axis serves as a physiological adaptation pathway that protects cells exposed to pathological conditions from stress‐induced tissue damage. Synopsis: Whether hypoxia and nutrient starvation are coupled to cellular autophagy remains unclear. Here, DNA damage response kinases ATM and CHK2 are shown to trigger autophagy in response to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, suggesting a novel physiological adaptation pathway toward metabolic stress. Depletion of CHK2 or ATM impairs oxidative stress‐induced autophagy in MEFs.CHK2 binds and phosphorylates Beclin1 at Ser90/Ser93, suppressing Beclin1‐Bcl‐2 autophagy regulatory complex formation.CHK2‐induced autophagy limits intracellular ROS levels by clearing damaged mitochondria.CHK2‐induced autophagy protects against cell death and tissue damage following cerebral ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Clinical decision making in children with heart disease relies on detailed measurements of cardiac structures using two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography. However, no echocardiographic reference values are available for the Chinese children. We aimed to establish z-score regression equations for left heart structures in a population-based cohort of healthy Chinese Han children.Method: Echocardiography was performed in 545 children with a normal heart. The dimensions of the aortic valve annulus (AVA), aortic sinuses of Valsalva (ASV), sinotubular junction (STJ), ascending aorta (AAO), left atrium (LA), mitral valve annulus (MVA), interventricular septal end-diastolic thickness (IVSd), interventricular septal end-systolic thickness (IVSs), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVIDd), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVIDs), left ventricular posterior wall end-diastolic thickness (LVPWd), left ventricular posterior wall end-systolic thickness (LVPWs) were measured. Regression analyses were conducted to relate the measurements of left heart structures to body surface area (BSA). Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) were calculated. Several models were used, and the adjusted R2 values were compared for each model.Results: AVA, ASV, STJ, AAO, LA, MVA, IVSd, IVSs, LVIDd, LVIDs, LVPWd, and LVPWs had a cubic relationship with BSA. LVEF and LVFS fell within a narrow range.Conclusions: Our results provide reference values for z scores and regression equations for left heart structures in Han Chinese children. These data may help make a quick and accurate judgment of the routine clinical measurement of left heart structures in children with heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A convenient radical cascade cyclization of aniline‐linked 1,7‐enynes with 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds was developed to synthesize cyclopenta[c]quinolines in the presence of AgNO3/K2S2O8. A wide range of cyclopenta[c]quinolines were prepared in moderate to excellent yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient hydrogen evolution via electrocatalytic water splitting holds great promise in modern energy devices. Herein, we demonstrate that the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation of Au nanorods (NRs) dramatically improves the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of CoFe‐metal–organic framework nanosheets (CoFe‐MOFNs), leading to a more than 4‐fold increase of current density at −0.236 V (vs. RHE) for Au/CoFe‐MOFNs composite under light irradiation versus in dark. Mechanistic investigations reveal that the hydrogen evolution enhancement can be largely attributed to the injection of hot electrons from AuNRs to CoFe‐MOFNs, raising the Fermi level of CoFe‐MOFNs, facilitating the reduction of H2O and affording decreased activation energy for HER. This study highlights the superiority of plasmonic excitation on improving electrocatalytic efficiency of MOFs and provides a novel avenue towards the design of highly efficient water‐splitting systems under light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmon enhancement in electrocatalysis was investigated on pure Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) and an AuNPs‐reduced graphene oxide (AuNPs/rGO) hybrid. Upon localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) excitation, hot charge carriers (hot electrons and holes) generate on the AuNPs. In the experiments, hot holes were scavenged by glucose and hot electrons could be efficiently transferred to the external electric circuit under a potential bias, resulting in an observable current enhancement. Then, the hot electrons′ transfer efficiency can be quantitatively compared by the increased current response. It was found that the current density increased more obviously on the AuNPs/rGO hybrid than on pure AuNPs upon light irradiation. Due to the excellent electron mobility of rGO and the perfect electron affinity capacity, the hot electrons generated on AuNPs are efficiently transferred to the closely contacted rGO, then flow into the external circuit, generating current. The present study highlights the role of rGO in improving the separation of hot charge carriers to promote photocatalytic reactions. Hot electrons induced by localized surface plasmon resonance excitation concentrate on the surfaces of gold nanoparticles and are then transferred to closely contacted reduced graphene oxide (rGO) due to the excellent electron‐transfer capacity of rGO. This process effectively inhibits the recombination of hot electrons and hot holes. Driven by a potential bias, the hot electrons can be transported into the circuit more efficiently, resulting in an observable current enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A highly effective dual‐stimuli responsive porous anodic aluminum (PAA) nanomembrane is designed and fabricated for controllable and sustainable drug release. By a two‐step electrochemical anodization process, the nanochannel arrays in PAA membrane are divided into two separated parts. The first part is modified by copolymer‐liposome (colipid), which acts as the thermo and pH dual‐stimuli responsive capping material. The other part is used as the drug loading core. The liposome in capping layer has excellent biocompatibility, and the nanochannels array can provide a high drug loading capacity. Taking dexamethasone as the model drug, the experiment results show that the fabricated nanochannels can be well tuned to open or close state upon pH or temperature stimuli, which allows the controllable and sustainable drug release. The present work is of significant importance for constructing smart and intelligent drug carrier and release systems for clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen‐containing bisphosphonates (N‐BPs) have been used widely to treat various bone diseases by inhibiting the key enzyme farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (FPPS) in the mevalonate pathway. Understanding the structure–activity relationships and the action mechanisms of these bisphosphonates is instructive for the design and the development of novel potent inhibitors. Here, a series of N‐BPs inhibitors of human FPPS (hFPPS) were investigated using a combination of three‐dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationship (3D‐QSAR), molecular docking, and three‐layer ONIOM studies. The constructed 3D‐QSAR model yielded a good correlation between the predicted and experimental activities. Based on the analysis of comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) contour maps, a series of novel N‐BPs inhibitors were designed and ten novel potent N‐BPs inhibitor candidates were screened out. Molecular docking and ONIOM (B3LYP/6‐31 + G*:PM6:Amber) calculations revealed that the inhibitors bound to the active site of hFPPS via hydrogen‐bonding interactions, hydrophobic interactions, and cation‐π interactions. Six novel N‐BPs inhibitors with better biological activities and higher lipophilicity were further screened out from ten candidates based on the calculated interaction energy. This study will facilitate the discovery of novel N‐BPs inhibitors with higher activity and selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel isolation strategy, online hyphenation of ultrasonic extraction, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography combined with high-speed countercurrent chromatography, was developed for pure compounds extraction and purification. Andrographolide from Andrographis paniculata was achieved only in a single step purification protocol via the present strategy. The crude powder was ultrasonic extracted and extraction was pumped into Sephadex LH-20 column directly to cut the nontarget fractions followed by the second-dimensional high-speed countercurrent chromatography, hyphenated by a six-port valve equipped at the post-end of Sephadex LH-20 column, for the final purification. The results yielded andrographolide with the amount of 1.02 mg and a purity of 98.5% in a single step, indicating that the present method is effective to harvest target compound from medicinal plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Clinical decision making in children with congenital and acquired heart disease relies on measurements of cardiac structures using two-dimensional echocardiography. We aimed to establish z-score regression equations for right heart structures in healthy Chinese Han children.Methods: Two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography was performed in 515 patients. We measured the dimensions of the pulmonary valve annulus (PVA), main pulmonary artery (MPA), left pulmonary artery (LPA), right pulmonary artery (RPA), right ventricular outflow tract at end-diastole (RVOTd) and at end-systole (RVOTs), tricuspid valve annulus (TVA), right ventricular inflow tract at end-diastole (RVIDd) and at end-systole (RVIDs), and right atrium (RA). Regression analyses were conducted to relate the measurements of right heart structures to 4body surface area (BSA). Right ventricular outflow-tract fractional shortening (RVOTFS) was also calculated. Several models were used, and the best model was chosen to establish a z-score calculator.Results: PVA, MPA, LPA, RPA, RVOTd, RVOTs, TVA, RVIDd, RVIDs, and RA (R2  = 0.786, 0.705, 0.728, 0.701, 0.706, 0.824, 0.804, 0.663, 0.626, and 0.793, respectively) had a cubic polynomial relationship with BSA; specifically, measurement (M) = β0 + β1 × BSA + β2 × BSA2  + β3 × BSA.3 RVOTFS (0.28 ± 0.02) fell within a narrow range (0.12-0.51).Conclusions: Our results provide reference values for z scores and regression equations for right heart structures in Han Chinese children. These data may help interpreting the routine clinical measurement of right heart structures in children with congenital or acquired heart disease. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 45:293-303, 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lateral root ( LR) development is a post-embryonic organogenesis event that gives rise to most of the underground parts of higher plants. Auxin promotes LR formation, but the molecular mechanisms involved in this process are still not well understood., We analyzed LR formation induced by FUSCA3 ( FUS3), a B3 domain transcription factor, which may function by promoting auxin biosynthesis during this process. We identified FUS3-interacting proteins that function in LR formation. In addition, we searched for the common targets of both FUS3 and its interacting protein. The role of their interactions in regulating auxin accumulation and LR initiation was examined., We identified LEAFY COTYLEDON2 ( LEC2) as an interacting factor of FUS3, and demonstrated that these two homologous B3 transcription factors interact to bind to the auxin biosynthesis gene YUCCA4 ( YUC4) and synergistically activate its transcription during LR formation. Furthermore, FUS3 expression is activated by LEC2 in LR initiation., The observations indicate that the FUS3- LEC2 complex functions as a key regulator in auxin-regulated LR formation. The results of this study provide new information for understanding the mechanisms of LR regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The importance of left ventricular ( LV) twisting has been recognized in various types of heart disease, but no studies have investigated twisting of functional single ventricle using echocardiography. This study aimed to evaluate LV twisting and dyssynchrony of children with single left ventricle ( SLV) after the Fontan operation and explore the relationship between twisting motion and ventricular contractility using three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (3DSTI). Methods Thirty-five children with SLV and 35 healthy children (controls) were enrolled. The patients were divided into wide and narrow QRS groups according to the QRS interval. Atrioventricular valve inflow velocity and tissue Doppler imaging velocity were obtained, and the Tei index was calculated. Apical rotation, basal rotation, twist, torsion, time to peak apical rotation, time to peak basal rotation, time to peak twist, apical-basal rotation delay, and the systolic dyssynchrony index ( SDI) were measured by 3DSTI. Results Patients with SLV had significantly lower apical rotation (2.50 ± 2.25° vs. 4.85 ± 2.68°, P < 0.001), basal rotation (−3.46 ± 3.11° vs. −7.76 ± 2.11°, P < 0.001), twist (5.15 ± 4.75° vs. 12.19 ± 3.65°, P < 0.001), and torsion (1.04 ± 0.99°/cm vs. 2.37 ± 0.77°/cm, P < 0.001) compared to controls. Time to peak basal rotation, apical-basal rotation delay, and time to peak twist were significantly longer in patients. Apical rotation was significantly lower in the wide QRS group but similar in the narrow QRS group as compared to controls. Time to peak twist and apical-basal delay were significantly longer in the wide QRS group in contrast to the similar time in the narrow QRS group compared with controls. Among these twisting parameters, twist and torsion were most significantly correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction ( LVEF), the Tei index, and SDI. Twist and age were significantly correlated. Conclusion Twisting is reduced in children with SLV after the Fontan operation. Torsion is a good indicator of LV global function because of good reproducibility and its lack of association with age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dioxide (CO2) has been wildly employed as an environmentally benign C1 resource for organic synthesis in the recent years. The capture of CO2 with primary amines easily provides the corresponding carbamate salts. We described herein that carbamate salts are a useful reactant for the synthesis of oxazolidin-2-ones via the reaction with aromatic aldehydes and aromatic terminal alkynes. A variety of oxazolidin-2-ones with different functional groups were synthesized in 68-91% yields with only a 5 mol% amount of CuI as catalyst. It was found that the synergetic effect of iodide is important for the transformation. Notable, the captured CO2 serves not only as a protecting reagent for electron-rich primary amine to avoid catalyst poisoning, but also as a reactant for the construction of oxazolidin-2-ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the optimal distributed control of the viscousweakly dispersive Degasperis-Procesi equation in nonlinear shallow water dynamics. It is well known that the Pontryagin maximum principle, which unifies calculus of variations and control theory of ordinary differential equations, sets up the theoretical basis of the modern optimal control theory along with the Bellman dynamic programming principle. In this paper, we commit ourselves to infinite dimensional generalizations of the maximum principle and aim at the optimal control theory of partial differential equations. In contrast to the finite dimensional setting, the maximum principle for the infinite dimensional system does not generally hold as a necessary condition for optimal control. By the Dubovitskii and Milyutin functional analytical approach, we prove the Pontryagin maximum principle of the controlled viscous weakly dispersive Degasperis-Procesi equation. The necessary optimality condition is established for the problem in fixed final horizon case. Finally, a remark on how to utilize the obtained results is alsomade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Real time three-dimensional echocardiography ( RT3 DE) provides a reliable analysis of left ventricular ( LV) volume. Despite a wide spectrum of tracking algorithms presently available, which software is most suitable for evaluating functional single left ventricle ( FLSV) is unknown. Herein, we compared two of the most commonly used 3 DE algorithms for quantification of LV volumes in the pediatric population with FLSV. Methods Thirty-six children with FLSV were prospectively enrolled. The LV volume analysis was performed on QLAB 8.1 (semiautomated border tracking) and TomTec 4D LV 3.0 (manual dominant border tracking) and compared with MRI as the reference standard. Results 3 DE volume quantification was achieved for 32 children with QLAB and 34 children with TomTec. Analysis time was much shorter for QLAB than TomTec (4.8 ± 1.2 vs. 6.3 ± 1.8 minutes, P < 0.05). Ejection fraction ( EF) by either 3 DE modality was significantly lower than the published normal values (P < 0.01 for each). End-diastolic volume ( EDV), end-systolic volume ( ESV), stroke volume, and EF calculated by both 3 DE modalities underestimated MRI values. Compared to QLAB, TomTec showed better correlation and smaller intertechnique differences with MRI (the 95% limits of agreement, EDV: −20.84 to 5.18 mL in QLAB, −10.66 to 1.84 mL in TomTec; ESV: −8.94 to 3.07 mL in QLAB, −2.45 to 0.98 mL in TomTec; SV: −13.31 to 3.45 mL in QLAB, −9.34 to 2.0 mL in TomTec; EF: −12.07 to 7.76% in QLAB, −9.64 to 1.52% in TomTec), TomTec was more reproducible with better intraclass correlation coefficients and variation coefficients. Conclusions Both 3 DE modalities tend to underestimate LV volumes, but the correlation of LV volumes and EF between 3 DE and MRI still holds well. Despite a longer operating time, TomTec analysis is more accurate and reproducible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We evaluated the use of bioreactance-based noninvasive cardiac output (CO) monitoring technique (NICOM™, CONICOM) in pediatric patients with or without ventricular septal defect (VSD) during anesthesia induction to determine its agreement with the measurements assessed by echocardiography (echo, COECHO). Methods Twenty-eight pediatric patients with normal heart anatomy (group NHA) and 32 with isolated ventricular septal defects (group VSD) were included in this study. The cardiac output was measured simultaneously in minute-by-minute using NICOM and echo (Simpson's rule) during anesthesia induction and intubation. Linear regression and revised Bland-Altman analyses were performed to evaluate the agreement by comparing the paired CO results. The mean percent error ((COECHO-CONICOM)/COECHO × 100%) was used to assess the impact of congenital heart disease on the agreement. Results The measurements of CO by NICOM and echo techniques were highly correlated in group NHA (γ = 0.96, P < 0.005) and VSD (γ = 0.84, P < 0.005). The mean bias (COECHO - CONICOM) between the two methods was 0.03 and 0.31 l·min−1 with the limits of agreement (LOA) −0.29 to +0.35 l·min−1 and −0.44 to +1.05 l·min−1, which include 96.9% (31/32) and 89.3% (25/28) of all patients' different data in group NHA and VSD, respectively. The median percent errors were significantly lower at all time points in group NHA than those in group VSD (all P < 0.05). Conclusion In children without heart defects, the CO measured by NICOM shows a good agreement with the echo during anesthesia induction. The NICOM technique underestimates echo although a strong correlation exists between two methods in children with ventricular septal defect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective In children with coronary disease, clinical decision should be based on detailed measurements of the coronary arteries by two-dimensional echocardiography. We aimed to establish coronary artery reference indexed diameter and z scores regression equations in a large cohort of Chinese Han children. Methods We measured the diameter of the proximal right (RCA), left main (LMCA), left anterior descending, and left circumflex coronary artery, and of the aortic annulus, and calculated the coronary-aorta index (coronary artery-to-aortic annulus ratio) in 506 Chinese Han children with normal hearts whose ages ranged from 1 day to 18 years. Regression analyses were performed, relating the coronary artery dimensions to body surface area (BSA). Several models were used, and the best model (yielding the maximum adjusted R2) was chosen to establish a z score calculator. Results Based on cubic regression, (M) = β0 + β1 × BSA + β2 × BSA2 + β3 × BSA3, the adjusted R2 values were 0.515, 0.553, 0.505, and 0.518 for the RCA, LMCA, left anterior descending, and left circumflex coronary artery models, respectively. RCA/aortic annulus was 0.14 ± 0.02 (range, 0.07-0.24) and LMCA/AOA was 0.15 ± 0.03 (range, 0.10-0.28). Conclusions Our results provide reference values of coronary artery z scores, regression equation, and coronary-aorta index as a quick guide to determine coronary dilation in Chinese Han children. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 43:39-46, 2015 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A highly sensitive and rapid ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the determination of gambogenic acid in dog plasma. Gambogic acid was used as an internal standard (IS). After a simple liquid-liquid extraction by ethyl acetate, the analyte and internal standard were separated on an Acquity BEH C18 (100 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm; Waters ) column at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min, using 0.1% formic acid-methanol (10:90, v/v) as mobile phase. Electrospray ionization source was applied and operated in the positive ion mode. Multiple reaction monitoring mode with the transitions m/ z 631.3 → 507.3 and m/ z 629.1 → 573.2 was used to quantify gambogenic acid and the internal standard, respectively. The calibration curves were linear in the range of 5-1000 ng/mL, with a coefficient of determination ( r) of 0.999 and good calculated accuracy and precision. The low limit of quantification was 5 ng/mL. The intra-and inter-day precisions (relative standard deviations) were <15%. The methodology recoveries were more than 66.63%. This validated method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study after intravenous injection administration of gambogenic acid in dogs at a dose of 1 mg/kg. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Premedication with intranasal dexmedetomidine ( DEX) has shown to be an effective sedative in pediatric patients. This prospective, randomized, and controlled investigation was designed to evaluate whether the difference in intranasal DEX dosing would produce different beneficial effects on the attenuation of cardiovascular and arousal responses during anesthesia induction and intubation. Methods Forty children, aged from 3 to 6 years, of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II and scheduled for elective adenotonsillectomy randomly received intranasal DEX 1 μg·kg−1 (group D1) or 2 μg·kg−1 (group D2) 30 min before anesthesia induction. Anesthesia was induced with sevoflurane in oxygen flow. Mean arterial pressure ( MAP) and heart rate ( HR) as measurements of cardiovascular response and bispectral index ( BIS) as an index of arousal response were recorded every 5 min after intranasal DEX administration and measured every 1 min for 5 min after intubation. Sedation status, behavior scores, and mask induction scores were also assessed. Results Mean arterial pressure did not show statistical differences during the anesthesia induction, but did demonstrate significantly milder responses to laryngoscopy and intubation in group D2 compared with group D1. Change in HR was consistent with MAP during laryngoscopy and intubation. Patients who received 2 μg·kg−1 DEX presented with deeper sedation and less anxiety by the assessments of the alertness scale, behavior score, and BIS scores. Group D2 dosing achieved more favorable scores in children undergoing mask induction. Conclusion Intranasal DEX 2 μg·kg−1 administered 30 min before anesthesia induction provides considerable effect to attenuate the increase in MAP caused by intubation response. Changes in HR and BIS also demonstrate that this kind of premedication provides effective attenuation of intubation response. And preoperative intranasal DEX 2 μg·kg−1 produces optimal-sedation, more favorable anesthesia induction course in pediatric patients. Premedication of intranasal DEX is a considerable way to blunt cardiovascular and arousal responses to endotracheal intubation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesenchymal stem cells have the potential to undergo commitment and differentiation into a variety of cell types, including osteoblasts, chondrocytes, myocytes and adipocytes. Growth differentiation factor 6 (Gdf6) is a member of the transforming growth factor β superfamily. We have examined the potential role of Gdf6 in adipogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells, and found that over-expression of Gdf6 induced commitment of pluripotent mesenchymal C3H10T1/2 cells to the adipocyte lineage. The type I receptor Bmpr1a and the type II receptors Bmpr2 and Acvr2a mediate the Gdf6 signaling pathway. RNAi silencing of Smad4 and p38 MAPK suggested that both Smad and p38 MAPK pathways are involved in this process. The expression of Runx1t1 was down-regulated in committed pre-adipocytes, and forced expression of Runx1t1 blocked the adipocytic commitment. The results demonstrate a role for Gdf6 in adipocytic commitment and differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) have been regarded as an initial motivating factor in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction in diabetic complications. 4,4'-Diphenylmethane-bis(methyl) carbamate (DMPC), a carbamate compound, was isolated from Cortex Mori and its prevention effects against AGEs-induced endothelial dysfunction were studied. 4,4'-Diphenylmethane-bis(methyl) carbamate significantly reduced cell apoptosis to normal level at 10−9 mol/L concentration. Advanced glycation end-products up-regulated the expression of Bad and Bax and down-regulated Bcl-2 proteins, and pretreatment with DMPC significantly down-regulated Bad and Bax while up-regulating Bcl-2 expressions. In addition, ICAM (intercellular adhesion molecule)-1 and TGF (transforming growth factor)-β1 expressions in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) were significantly enhanced by AGEs. More importantly, these increases of ICAM-1 and TGF-β1 expressions were reduced meaningfully with the pretreatment of DMPC. All the results showed DMPC had prevention effects against the progression of AGE-induced endothelial dysfunction, and this compound might be a promising agent against endothelial dysfunction in diabetic vascular complications. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a novel and simple microextraction method, termed ionic liquid/ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (IL/IL-DLLME), has been designed and developed for the rapid enrichment and analysis of environmental pollutants. Instead of using hazardous organic solvents, two kinds of ILs, hydrophobic IL and hydrophilic IL, were used as extraction solvent and disperser solvent in IL/IL-DLLME step, respectively. Permethrin and biphenthrin, two of the often-used pyrethroid pesticides, were used as model compounds. Factors that may affect the enrichment efficiencies were investigated and optimized in detail. Under optimum conditions, permethrin and biphenthrin exhibited a wide linear relationship over the range 1-100 μg/L. For permethrin and biphenthrin, the precisions were 4.65-7.78%, and limits of detection were found to be 0.28 and 0.83 μg/L, respectively. Satisfactory results were achieved when the present method was applied to analyze the target compounds in real-world water samples with spiked recoveries over the range 84.1-113.5%. All these facts indicated that IL/IL-DLLME is a simple and rapid alternative for the enrichment and analysis of environmental pollutants and will have a wide application perspective in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Age is the greatest risk factor for most cases of Alzheimer's disease (AD) as the incidence rises significantly with ageing. Mammalian legumain, a lysosomal asparaginyl endopeptidase recently was suggested as a potential link between aging and AD onset. Herein, we inspected age‐related legumain regulation in two animal models of AD and tested its promise to be an intervention target for AD. Method: Male APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic and the senescence‐accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice are the two AD animal models. The age‐related expression and activity of legumain in brain tissue of these mice were detected using western blot and enzymatic activity assay. Immunohistochemically staining and Morris water maze test were used to reveal pathological changes in the brain and monitor cognition decline. Mice were administrated with a δ‐secretase inhibitor 11 (10 mg/kg, p.o.) once daily for 3 months to suppress brain legumain activity and modify AD‐like pathology. Result: The expression level and enzymatic activity of legumain was up‐regulated in brains of 5‐8‐month old SAMP8 and APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice in comparison with age‐mated WT mice. Elevation of legumain preceded formation of Aβ plaque and cognitive impairment. Pharmacological inhibition of legumain reduced Aβ production and tau hyperphosphorylation, rescued degeneration of neuronal structural integrity in the cortex and hippocampus of AD mice and attenuated memory loss. In SMAP8 and its control strain SAMR1 mice, the enzymatic activity of brain legumain is almost 20 times lower than that in kidney and liver tissue. Inhibition of brain legumain didn't incur severe side effect. Conclusion: Elevated legumain in a certain brain region can be considered as an abnormal condition and a potential intervention target for neurodegenerative disease, such as AD. But how legumain was up‐regulated and activated in the brain of AD model mice remains to be elucidated. Acknowledgements: Mingke Song and this study is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, China (No. 91949116, No.81873807) and Innovative Research Team of High‐level Local Universities in Shanghai, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method was used to determine the ginsenosides Rg1, Rb1 and Rd of Panax notoginseng in rat tissues (kidney, liver, heart, spleen and lung) after the administration of total saponins of P. notoginseng. The tissue samples were treated with solid-phase extraction prior to HPLC. The calibration curves for the three saponins were linear in the given concentration ranges. The intra-day and inter-day assay coefficients in tissues were between 76 and 120% respectively. The recoveries of all the tissues were higher than 70%. This method was applied to evaluate the distribution of the three major saponins of P. notoginseng in rat tissues. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the title compound, C17H21ClNO4P·C3H7NO, the dihedral angle formed by the aromatic rings is 83.98 (7)°. In the crystal, O-H⋯O, N-H⋯O and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the mol-ecules into double layers parallel to (011).